The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of lavender known botanically as Lavandula stoechas and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘SWEETBERRY RUFFLES’.
This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(f) of the application for a grant of Australian Plant Breeders Rights which was filed for the instant plant variety on Aug. 21, 2009 and accepted by the Australian Plant Breeders Rights Office on Dec. 21, 2009 with application number 2009/201.
This application is co-pending with the application for the inventor's variety of Lavandula stoechas known as ‘STRAWBERRY RUFFLES’(U.S. application Ser. No. 12/806,459). ‘SWEETBERRY RUFFLES’ and ‘STRAWBERRY RUFFLES’ arose from the same cross-pollination as described herein.
‘SWEETBERRY RUFFLES’ is one individual selection in the Australian lavender ‘Ruffles Series’ that resulted from a formal breeding program. The breeding program was established in November 2001 and conducted by the inventor at the inventor's nursery in Wonga Park, Victoria, Australia. The aim of the breeding program is to develop an ongoing series of Lavandula stoechas varieties which are similar in plant form and habit but which bear showy and distinctly different sterile bracts which are the most prominent commercial feature of the species. The species Lavandula stoechas is commonly known as Spanish lavender.
The inventor selected ‘SWEETBERRY RUFFLES’ in 2007 based on a combination of repeat flowering, dense plant habit, sterile bracts which are light peach in color when opening, becoming pale pink when fully expanded and eventually vibrant red-purple when mature. The fertile flowers of ‘SWEETBERRY RUFFLES’ are vibrant red-purple in color.
‘SWEETBERRY RUFFLES’ is a selection arising from the controlled cross-pollination of Lavandula stoechas ‘Winter Lace’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,280) as the female parent, and Lavandula stoechas Boysenberry Ruffles (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,256) as the male parent. Cross-pollination of the parent plants took place in Wonga Park, Victoria, Australia in November 2005. From this cross the F1 generation was raised in February 2006 and grown to flowering maturity in September 2006. One flowering seedling, to be named ‘SWEETBERRY RUFFLES’ was isolated in 2006 and planted in a 14 cm container for second year flowering in 2007 at which time ‘SWEETBERRY RUFFLES’ was confirmed for future commercialization.
‘SWEETBERRY RUFFLES’ is a perennial suitable for use in containers and in the landscape. Cultural requirements include full sun, adequate but not excess water, and well-draining soil. Mature height is 60 cm. and mature width is 80 cm.
The traits that distinguish ‘SWEETBERRY RUFFLES’ from the female parent ‘Winter Lace’ are sterile bract color and plant size at maturity. The sterile bracts of ‘Winter Lace’ are mauve in color whereas the sterile bracts of ‘SWEETBERRY RUFFLES’ are light pink in color. A mature plant of ‘Winter Lace’ is 70 cm in height whereas the mature height of ‘SWEETBERRY RUFFLES’ is 60 cm.
The trait that distinguishes ‘SWEETBERRY RUFFLES’ from the male parent ‘Boysenberry Ruffles’ is length of sterile bracts. The sterile bracts of ‘Boysenberry Ruffles’ are approximately 1 cm in length whereas the sterile bracts of ‘SWEETBERRY RUFFLES’ are approximately 2.5 cm in length.
The inventor has observed that the varieties of Lavandula stoechas which most closely resemble ‘SWEETBERRY RUFFLES’ are the inventor's varieties ‘Boysenberry Ruffles’ and ‘Strawberry Ruffles’ (co-pending with the instant application).
The trait that distinguishes ‘SWEETBERRY RUFFLES’ from ‘Boysenberry Ruffles’ is the length of the sterile bracts as disclosed above relative to ‘Boysenberry Ruffles’ as male parent.
The traits that distinguish ‘SWEETBERRY RUFFLES’ from ‘Strawberry Ruffles’ are color and length of the sterile bracts when fully expanded. The sterile bracts of ‘Sweetberry Ruffles’ are pale pink in color whereas the sterile bracts of ‘SWEETBERRY RUFFLES’ are mid pink in color. The sterile bracts of ‘Strawberry Ruffles’ are approximately 5 mm shorter than the sterile bracts of ‘SWEETBERRY RUFFLES’.
‘SWEETBERRY RUFFLES’ was first asexually propagated by the inventor in 2007. Asexual propagation was accomplished at the inventor's nursery in Australia, and the method utilized was tip cuttings. Since that time ‘SWEETBERRY RUFFLES’ has been determined stable, and reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.